France: The good neighbour campaign

On May 28th nearly 6 million French people will share quiche over a glass of Bordeaux in celebration of their Neighbourhood Party. The event was born in 1999 and was initially launched by the Paris d?Amis association, made up of a group of Paris? 17th district residents. The success was immediate and eight years on about 7,5 million European people take to the streets along with their neighbours in over 700 cities.

A good excuse for a party ? certainly, but also an attempt to build relationships between people who share the same living space. An attempt to create a sense of community. ?Neighbours should be the third pillar of solidarity, together with the family and the institutions?, says Atanase Périfan, who is one of the first promoters of the party that today, with the support of French Housing Minister Christine Boutin, is launching a new association – the Voisins Solidaires ( the solidary neighbours). The slogan they have chosen for the next twelve months is: ?Les Bons côtés d?être à côté? (the good side of being side to side).

Which also means being able to count on someone to take on the responsibility of being ?shared living space? ambassadors. People willing to read letters to their blind neighbour, to make cakes for the birthday boy and to share wi-fi?s with neighbours who don?t have the resources to pay for their own internet access.

Through these initiatives, and the publication of a guide on solidary neighbourhood habits, these associations aim to help metropolitan citizens and bring an end to the reluctance and fear that shape our city relationships.

More info

• http://parisdamis.over-blog.com
• www.voisinssolidaires.fr